Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Can We Do An "Obama" In Kenya?

It is interesting that at a time when I am grieving so much over personal issues and what would have been, my mind goes back to that great friend of mine that I always talk about here. His name was "G" and those who have been on Kumekucha long enough know that he hailed from Luo Nyanza (although that was never an issue in our friendship, not even for a half a minute) and you also know that a lone gunman walked into his Nairobi office one evening in 2005 and pumped bullets into him.

Well, G had a striking resemblance to President elect Barack Obama. The way he talked, the shape of his head, the looks, even the smile etc. The only big difference was that my friend was very much on the dark side.

As I write this I wonder what he would have said about the Obama revolution in the United States. He was a skeptic, my friend and I watched as he struggled to look at things positively from the moment he discovered how important one's mental attitude is when somebody is seeking good results in anything.

Still he would have no doubt pointed to the enormous task the son of Kogello has before him. I can almost hear him laugh and say “Chris, our brother has been fed a suicide pass, why lie.” In rugby a suicide pass is where you hold onto the ball until your most brutal opponents are right next to your team mate and then you toss the ball to him. What happens next is painful but highly predictable and expected.

In other words the world is too messed up for even President Obama to do much to reverse the fortunes. The poor guy has been given the instruments of power in a house that is already burning down... fast.

But what is really in my mind today is how you and I can do an Obama on the current political class right here in Kenya. I mean haven't we just had enough of these guys even as they play out that circus over the Waki report? I know I have, so much so that I find it difficult these days to sit down and write any serious analysis of Kenyan politics, because it will always involve those selfish, self serving hyenas in sheep's clothing. And I am talking right across the political divide.

Well for those interested in dreaming with me please feel free to join in (you will remember that Obama's march to the White House started as a hilarious dream and that in this very blog, yours truly was laughed off for suggesting that the upstart would ever win the democratic nomination, let alone a ticket to the White House).

One key thing that will be required will be cash. And lots of it. There is no way you can run a decent campaign for State House without lots of cash. Now here we can borrow a leaf from Obama's magical fund raising machine. It was mostly done on the World Wide Web using viral marketing techniques and the huge fortunes were mostly raised in $20s and even lower denominations and contributions from ordinary folks.

Can the same be done in Kenya? Can just 10 million of the estimated over 15 million Kenyans roughly aged between 18 and 35 years old raise an average of Kshs 100 each? That will give our campaign kitty some serious cash would it not?

But there are other more urgent questions to ask. Are Kenyans even ready to do an Obama in the land where Obama originated from?

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78 comments:

  1. Yes we can!!!! Why not?

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  2. Yes we can do an Obama in Kenya...Then? We can have Obama as the president in Kenya, yes we can ...Then what? We have to start dealing with our mind set, this past weekend i had the opportunity of visiting the Peace valley and the western part of the country, i was almost reduced to tears with what i saw, The matatus that were supposed to carry 13 passengers were carrying 27 people and the manamba standing...Trust me i was the only person complaining...>To other people it was business as usual and they didn;t find it a big deal, some old man told me Wacha hiyo ni ya nairobi, 2 women carrying their children had the audacity of sitting in the conductor's seat, it took my friends and i who told the makanga if you carry, we alight (goodness these people were not even shocked) ....The shocking art was that there were roadblocks all over and your guess is as good as mine, every road block the window was open and the conductor would throw a folded note and the police would wave....The matatu had pictures of Obama all over....Is that what Obama believes in? I dont think so

    In Kenya i must deal with I, dont take crap sitting down stand up and fight for your rights, and for you to do that you must know them. Yes i believe it is time for change, by the way it is long over due but it must begin with me.

    I support the demolition that is going on at Thika Road and i also believe that anyone who signed the title deed must go home and also the person who purchased the piece of land...In that if you want to buy a piece of land in kenya, one is given the map and warned of areas that are untouchable but because you give out TKK you are given the land including the title. If they demolish shops in the estate, even Nakumatt coming down is no big deal. If we want change, it is painful but we must start from somewhere i remeber vioja mahakamani the magistrate used to tell the accussed persons..."ili iwe funzo kwa wengine wenye.

    You understand why i am a sad Kenyan today.....A very sad one

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  3. i followed you smilling all the way to the point where you started talking of a fund raiser....that sent a cold shiver down ma spine. another scandal in the making chris??

    please clarify..

    concerned avid reader

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  4. How can we have an Obama in Kenya when we have people like Sam Okello who think the best way forward is to forgive murderers and rapists?

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  5. Chris,
    In 2002 we already did an "Obama" where so many Kenyans showed up and with one voice irrespective of tribe granted the opposition stalwarts of that time resounding victory in winning those elections and defeating evil architect of past decay KANU-guess what our chanting motto on everyone's lips was at the time?
    "YOTE YAWEZEKANA..."fill in the rest but keep it to yourself stupid

    in other words Obama owes us bigtime we invented his campaign slogan which he slyly borrowed from us undercover in his 2006 visit to UNTARMACKED PITCH BLACK Kogleo and exported the same to America but cleverly packaged this time in the english language "YES WE CAN" for his own presidential bid

    we don't need to re-invent the wheel Chris(i.e.3rd liberation, pulling an Obama, etc etc); doing so begs the question Were We Fooled (FOOLS) 6 years ago in 2002?In Obama America has experienced their phenomenon and an idea whose time has come revolution BUT 4 years from now America will be in the position we as kenyans were HOPING to have been in 2007 i.e. seeking to consolidate gains made under Obama's/Kibaki's presidency and not the position we were ACTUALLY in 2007 i.e. gnashing and grinding teeth in despair begging God to help us clean up the McCavity Cat Vomit we made on ourselves while sharpening pangas and machetes

    By the way you know the words "YES" and "CHANGE" mean the same in all 42 tribal dialects?all positive connotations.. compare and contrast that with the words "KAZI" and "IENDELEE"and "MAISHA" and "BORA" very ambiguous don't you think so?

    Ivy,
    the man who cannot change his name is as dangerous as the man who does not change his mind
    you disappeared as if you River Nzoia also displaced you?

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  6. Ivy said, "You understand why i am a sad Kenyan today.....A very sad one"

    YOU are ALWAYS a sad person not just today. One of the reason why this country is in a mess is people like U who despite going to school remain very primitive both in thinking and culturally.

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  7. If you want a local Obama, the first thing is to organise a democratic election contest for all comers where anyone including manambas can contest. Whoever thinks he can be an Obama clone is free to throw his hat in the ring and by a democratic process of elimination you will arrive at "The One". Before you go to the contest however, you will of course have to create a political formation as the basis of the contest otherwise no one will take you seriously. This will require that you sacrifice some of your personal funds BEFORE you start collecting money from the public because no one will give you a cent if they:

    1. Do not trust you or your motives.

    2. You do not put into place a democratic party constitution.

    3. You do not have Obamesque ideas in the first place, which means you must understand Obama the phenomenon and Obama the global idea.

    You also underestimate Obama's capacity for great imagination in fixing the problems he is inheriting. Just look at the way he conducted his recent campaign. Republicans mocked his tactics but in the end he has changed the way politics is conducted in America and globally forever. Already, the new political party offshoot of the ANC in South Africa called COP is using his methods to collect money, and even their message is different. They are calling for direct election of the President in South Africa, a very emotive and potent idea in SA given the way Mbeki was hounded out of office.
    Obama is not an intellectual midget like Bush so give him the benefit of the doubt.

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  8. I suggested this earlier......

    We need a organization/forum/party that we can support/fund to further our cause. My estimate is there will be more that 10M youth voters in 2012. If we can come up with a fool proof funding strategy with the requisite checks and balances to ensure money is spent for the intended purpose in a transparent manner, then we only need Ksh100 per person to raise 1billion.

    Why do this? To ensure our politicians are funded by Kenyans. We don't need Libya to do that for us.

    We also need to sponsor leaders who have good ideas but do not have the money required to run a decent campaign.

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  9. Chris,
    Thanks for dreaming and as they say all who refise to dream are dead albeit walking. But come to think of it ARE WE NOT LIVING A NATIONAL LIE COLLECTIVELY?

    Scapegoats are not worth the skins they are wrapped in. Self-deception makes us hate the NAKED TRUTH. We had our own moment in 2002. All the euphoria etal were same as what Obama brought to US. Now see the SKUNK we had and the consequent odour.

    Now we want to cheat ourselves that we can ride on the Obama wave? Well, the truth is we are ENSLAVED to all vices and DECEPTION that breeds IMPUNITY iss our singular forte.

    We can shout CHANGE all we wish but YOTE YAWEZEKANA is almost a decade old. We are true Kenyans with a penchant to mouth buzzwords whose meaning we have no intention to respect nor fathom.

    It is not difficult to dissect the selfish mindset of wanting to create a false sensse fresh start with the sole intention of masking the skunk. Well, we can expand the circul=mference all we wish and enjoy the circular ride. No prize for guessing the destination.

    PS: Ivy, HOW CAN THEY? But as you said not over. The only good news was Sunday night when Berba OUTBIT CR for AF's watch to raise money for Unicef at OT (£8K).Ole wao QPR leo na Stoke sato.

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  10. Before the US election, NY times reported,

    "It would be difficult for an African-American to be elected president in this country (US). However, it is not difficult for an extraordinary individual who happens to be African-American to be elected president."

    And this was the strength of Obama, his campaign's avoided discussions about race and instead concentrated on the important issues facing the country which certainly proved that to be a winner.

    Can a Kenyan politician emulate that, or can we Kenyans have an extraordinary individual in a country where tribal loyalties are rewarded? I don't know. But if we are going to make any progress as a nation we MUST do away with tribal mentality of "if my tribesman is in statehouse…" and all those nonsense.
    I can sense a new mood of optimism here in Kumekucha and probably in Kenya, but unless we deal with issues like tribalism and new constitution we won't go far. Remember the great elation at Uhuru park back in 2002, and the great pain that followed? Let that be a stark warning to anyone who think change will come without dealing first with the underlining issues. Let also be real, Kenya is not like America. America is a developed country, a super power and a democracy at it's finest. And on the hand we have Kenya, a new democracy that is still struggling to understand that word "Democracy".

    On personal attributes, we should note from Obama, it does not matter what political affiliation people hold.; what makes a man a leader is a unique combination of the right temperament to match the demands on the street, a high maturity of character that helps him and all those who know him prosper, and the raw masculinity to compete as a gentleman, fight only when forced to - but effectively when it has to be that way - and to inspire others with the mission he offers to share.
    Obama seems to "get it" on all levels, and males, females, young and old have responded - perhaps to his party on one level, but at a more profound level - to the PERSON.

    What we witnessed with Obama is a peaceful revolution.

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  11. Kwale,
    Very true INSIPIRATION with tangible effort to realize full potentila is key. And this must not be mistaken for miracles. Leadership is no pulpit contest where our leaders thrive. Obama's ideals are so high and we have the most to gain by being his disciples. But can we, or we are simply buying time with catch phrases?

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  12. Folks;

    Chris challenged us..... and i quote

    Can the same be done in Kenya? Can just 10 million of the estimated over 15 million Kenyans roughly aged between 18 and 35 years old raise an average of Kshs 100 each? That will give our campaign kitty some serious cash would it not?

    But there are other more urgent questions to ask. Are Kenyans even ready to do an Obama in the land where Obama originated from?


    Now, are we taking up the challenge or are we saying we are not ready? Do we only thrive on empty talk? Taabu? Phil, UrXlnc? Ivy, Kwale, Kimi? Anyone?

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  13. "its easier to pretend you're changing than it is to just change"
    e-change, KK blogger, 1981-?

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  14. Its fatal to underestimate the importance of one's mental attitude when one is seeking good results in anything. Your attitude plays a huge role and that is the biggest asset we as Kenyans highly lack ... and that will always keep us down.

    Joe,
    I will take you up on the challenge ... lemmi walk the talk with you. How do we form "organization/forum/party that we can support/fund to further our cause"? Coz i believe that is the place to start. Question is how do we go about that?

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  15. Sayra,

    I may be wrong, but the easiest way may be to register a trust... to which we can contribute... and use the funds to fund young people running for political office. There must be lawyers here in KK who can advise on the best way to go about this. Anyone?

    This is just an idea... lets beat it into shape..

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  16. Joe,

    Of course WE can. And Kenyans are ready to do an Obama. But, my argument is do we have a healthy climate for that to happen?

    I said it there emphatically, Kenya is a new democracy. We have a lot to learn from American democracy and unless proper democratic systems are in place, it does not matter even if we donate 200ksh in the kitty, it WON'T work.

    We should also note in countries like America and many western nations; democracy is based on the philosophical principle of equal rights.
    Constitutional government is nothing but words on paper unless its principles are alive in the souls of the people; people get the government that they deserve, but when free person fails to internalize and exhibit public and private virtue, no government on earth can keep them from destroying themselves. On the other hand, people who cultivate and maintain virtue and value their principles above their privileges enjoy unlimited prosperity, peace, and happiness.

    All I can say is, it good to have a dream but lets strive hard to create a healthy atmosphere for our dream to be fulfilled. Its one thing to dream and its quite another to have that dream fulfilled. The road to fulfillment is usually bumpy, treacherous and not for the faint-hearted.
    Let's begin the journey first by having a new constitution and slowly but surely we will get there. Thats my take.

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  17. Kwale,

    I am working on the assumption that we will have a new constitution by 2012? Surely the GNU, Anan and the eminent group can deliver on this?

    I am also assuming that by 2012 we will have formed the truth and reconciliation commission and prosecuted those 10 guys... meaning we will be on our way to healing the nation.

    Call me naive but i haven't given up on this country. Not yet!

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  18. Joe,
    You are not naive and neither should you give up on our country.

    It was 1963 when Martin Luther King had a DREAM and it took 45 years for that dream to be fulfilled.

    No big dream whether personal or collective happens overnight! You must be willing to cry a little bit, mourn a little bit BUT if you persevere the reward is great.

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  19. Joe,

    That can be done. My take like Kwale says we have to have the right atmosphere. And that atmosphere I believe is to have a structure in place for what we want before we get into the details of collecting cash.

    1st, can we decide what we want and under what basis and grounds we will register the trust (or whatever else). We collecting cash for what and to who will it go to? What will we use to convince people to contribute? guys will not just give you cash if they don't know where its going.

    2nd, after we have the structure in place and we have agreed on our goals ... we sell them to the people then from there we can start on the details of cash depending on the reactions we get. We have to sell something for us to collect the cash and get the masses that we need to forge forward.

    What do you say?

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  20. Joe,
    Here is the Utube transcript video of Martin Luther King "I have a dream"

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk

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  21. Joe,

    If we are waiting for a constitution we will go no where.

    Kwale is so right, some dreams take to long. And for our dreams as a nation we have to start acting and we have to stop waiting for anything to happen ... to start acting. That is what we have been doing. Waiting for one of our own to get in the big sit ... and what do we see, the same old.

    Lets start acting now. Now is the time to act.

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  22. Yes we can and I said here earlier. I don't comment on lot of topics here on KK but I have suggested in the past that we rally behind a person from the diaspora to do an Obama in Kenya. I have noted before that the current politicians in Kenya can never bring change, they are so tainted and harbour their own evil intentions.

    This is what I suggested before. I had said we I.D a person here in the diaspora who we can all rally around -atleast most right thinking diasporas- and elevate to the highest office in Kenya. I also noted that one impediment will be in identifying the person. I also said we need to come up with solid funding opportunities for this person, create a party for him and let him go back home and start a grass roots movement. I also said we as bloggers and Kenyans in the diaspora can influence greatly the person's influence since we hold some very strategic power just by being here. Many people in Kenya will listen to what we have to say since we are enlightened (at least most of us).

    If we can agitate for a change in the constitution so that dual citizenship is recognized, and electoral laws amended so that absentee balots are counted, we will be on the right track.

    Brothers and sisters, YES WE CAN!

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  24. Joe:

    with you on that idea. there are many here who are also on the same wavelength so i believe its time to step up.

    But I also think that whereas you could use kk to brainstorm or crowdsource on some general ideas, there may be other more appropriate forum to put together a more comprehensive plan.

    chris:
    e-change raises an obvious but interesting reminder, we (kenyans) were way ahead of the change wave or curve both in 2002 and in 2007 as well, but in both cases, events or circumstances on account of poor leadership totally derailed and burst that bubble.

    the good thing is we are better informed now. we know our good points as well as our negatives, so we can re-assess our positions and do the necessary adjustments and perhaps try again.

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  25. Hi all,

    Encouraging! Any lawyer who can point us to the right direction?

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  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  27. Joe:

    I think Chris occasionally consults with lawyers well versed with constitution of kenya, why dont you drop him a note using his email umissedthis at yahoo dot com am sure he can provide these (for free). am also interested in making another try at making kenya work for all of us so count me in

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  28. I will leave you with this word of wisdom.

    "A house built on a wrong foundation cannot stand".

    Before we get our Obama lets get the foundation right. In America it did not happen overnight since Dr King's dream, but alot have changed since (for better) which has lead to America electing its first black president.

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  29. Kwale, That was well said. However, we need not assume that the struggle for a better Kenya will start with the laying of such a foundation since it started long time ago. The exception in our case is that all along the struggle has always been hijacked by crooks clothed as liberators. These are the people we need to be on the look out for otherwise Yes We Can!

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  30. kwale

    we are agreed

    "A house built on a wrong foundation cannot stand".

    as stated above, this house as built through the kenyatta, moi and kibaki regimes is on the wrong foundation. we are not starting from scratch. we are quite aware and what joe i suggesting here is that we press on to do the right thing.

    personally am not interested in getting our edition of obama, i want our own homegrown leadership tapping into the best assets we have i.e ourselves and the harvesting the intellect and goodwill of kenyans.

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  31. If the foundations are already laid, then why do we have killers on loose? Why do we have some people resisting Waki's report? Why do we have people getting away with murders? Why do we have re-current of ethnic clashes every 5 years since 1991? Why is it hard to prosecute those in ruling class elites?

    Maybe the kind of foundations you’re talking about is different from mine.

    Bang up (jail) these killers first, clean up the country by introducing new laws that curbs tribalism and educate people about the value of human lives.

    In the country I live, no-one can say anything negative about another person based on their ethnicity in public. The law prohibits any form of negative ethnic stereotyping and anyone convicted of racist attitude faces public humiliation (trial by media) and lengthy jail term by court of law.

    Do we have these kinds of laws in Kenya?

    Kwale

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  32. interesting

    http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/489828/-/tllais/-/index.html

    the noose tightens

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  33. Pulling an ‘Obama’ in Kenya? Not quite yet. Kenyans need to suffer a little bit more. For now, the high and middle class are having fun. The 85% who proudly belong in the scavenging low class are waking up everyday after a long nights sleep. Chris, there’s no problem in Kenya.

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  34. This is still kwale, I have logged out of my computer and that's why Iam not on the usual blue hyperlink.

    I can see some people here are looking for a quick fix. THERE is no miracle formula of Kenya endemic problems, and there is no shortcut to our destiny as a nation. We must be willing to deal with those issues that drag us behind as a nation head on. And unless we confront them head on, sorry we are wasting our time.

    We all want a better Kenya, but we cannot if people's mentality is still that of 1910.
    There is no-one here who have a great desire to see Kenya prosper and a better country than I do, but at the same time I refuse to live in a cloud-cuckoo-land where everything happens because I want them to be.

    I am done with this topic.

    Kwale

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  35. Kenyans are not idiots. Its not like we have been posing around doing nothing. Kenya is not a country that is lacking citizenry and/or that they have recently come from wherever to start building a nation. We have been around.

    What Obama has done is shown us that it can be done against all odds. We don't wanna do what he has done and neither do we want a repeat of what happened in USA here. The circumstances are very different ... and no where near comparison.

    My humble opinion is we listen to each other because this is a nation blest with people with high intellect. The time to run the country with smart ideas is now. Let us start to heavily invest in political leadership by listening to ideas. We then progressively move on to sanitize politics ... getting rid of double speak ... saying what we mean.

    Its by been smart that we will get rid of the current rot without the pain of violence and other huge losses along the way. We don't have to watch as the country goes to the dogs (who don't need it) for us to see the need of getting involved before all is lost.

    Its from that perspective that we have to do what we can. What am sure of is- the time to wait (for i don't know what) is not there.

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  36. well said sayra

    meantime looks like we are exporting out tabias everywhere we go

    http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/-/1066/489728/-/1485egmz/-/index.html

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  37. Grand and noble ideas and challenges, hogera!

    1st of, can we please stop with the I told you so about Obama getting elected? No one wanted him to loose but history was against such wishes.

    Now on to the meat and potatoes.

    I agree with everyone e-change that we voted for change in 2002. What is still up in the air is whether Kikuyus would accept to vote for change if they weren't at the helm of the ticket. In 2002 Kibaki was selected under the MOU. 5 years later, he ran with 99.9% of the Kikuyu vote.

    Now if you thought the margilization and distrust of Kikuyus post kenyatta was bad, then I dare say that post kibaki will be worse. Myself I never understood this distrust because I grew up under Moi. But now I can see where that my parents generation was coming from. So in one fell swoop, Kibaki and PNU managed to resurrect this feelings. And to make it worse, Uhuru who was the elader of the opposition made world history by being the first opposition agent to cross over into government.

    How do we over come that?

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  38. Ruto 2012 down with the wazeees

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  39. And one more snippet; change starts from the bottom up and not the top down. So if folks are serious about change in Kenya, we have to go and run for local government. Then implement our brand of politics and proceed from there. It will very hard to go and take over, even if we have all the money we need, and succeed. We still need to respect and understand the common man. many of us here have not lived at home for over 3 years. We are out of touch. To emulate Obama is to look at his experience as a community organizer 1st. I think this is the right way.

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  40. Joe Sayra

    At last people are looking ahead... I mentioned this a while ago before even Obama Euphoria- Kenyans home and abroad must find a way to charge forward(minus tribalism) and that my friends fall on the new generations of kenyans who don't look at tribe but substance and that is why we all have friends from all tribes in kenya unlike our fathers and older relatives.

    Yes groundwork must start now..

    fund raising network:
    Diaspora:
    teams in the USA Canada, England e.t.c where many kenyans live and study now.. (start fundraising and collection of funds..

    but we must have a good working orgainzation in place i.e kenyan's for change or the kenya's new generation speak out... all this chapters have to sign on the main contract and have
    1. chairman
    2. financer
    3. marketing e.t.c
    enough officers to volunteer without pay... nobody should be paid for the work done!!!!!

    Plus the Chapter on ground in kenya who will start signing on and mobilizing members..

    Our work will be to make sure we all agree and interview plus do heavy due diligence on our presidential hopeful in time of the next election at the same time a selection of MP's .. as for the party to support.. I believe with the funds we as an organization bring to the equation we will be able to convince them or hold a card to persuade them on the presidential elect and MP's we would like to support to parliament...

    I sincerely don't believe it is an impossible task... money and a good strategy is all we need.. and a choice of a dynamic individual for the presidential position who owes nobody favors.

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  41. THIEF OTIENO Kajwang’ locked out of law practice a third time
    (read local dailies)

    Seems ODM is just a house full of thieves..read on..
    Cabinet Minister Otieno Kajwang and East African Assembly MP Gervarse Akhabi have been struck off the roll of advocates.

    The Law Society of Kenya expelled the two and other 43 lawyers with disciplinary cases.

    LSK published their names in the dailies on Tuesday. According to the notice, they are not allowed to engage in any legal practice.

    Mr Kajwang’ and his other colleagues can only be reinstated to the bar after they have served a minimum of five years and or through a High Court order.

    The Minister had been struck off the Roll of Advocates in 2004 for issuing a bouncing cheque to a client and again in 2006, but was reinstated by a High Court order.
    Most of those suspended or struck from the roll had failed to account for their clients’ money

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  42. As long as a certain tribe drop the belief that they are superior to other tribes, trusting them is going to be difficult.
    My 5 year old nephew haunted by the images of the January events that followed the electoral theft- believes these people are thieves.
    Let us not pretend, we may have the will, but the reality is that you may laugh, wine and dine with them BUT beyond that - only trust them at your own peril!

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  43. You must also have an inspiring message that makes people believe beyond hoping. Also, the message has to be simple to get through to the people who comprise 90% of voters.

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  44. Chris,
    I've been reading Kumekucha for quite a while now and have never felt the need to post a response.......until now.
    Yes We Can, after all we have witnessed from our politicians for all these years.......Its time. It's time for change, complete change, generational change......any change from the present leadership starting from the bottom up.

    I was a volunteer for the Obama campaign at the grassroots level as a Precinct Captain and learnt alot about how the Obama Movement was created and spread. I came to the same conclusions you listed.

    If you are serious and committed to starting a movement of change for 2012, I'm ready, serious and committed in joining you to making this happen. It has to start NOW. email me at x3latk@gmail.com

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  45. Hey you Kenyans in the diaspora, who says that you are the only ones who can make this country work? Why do you want to steal other people's ideas and bring them here? We want unique ideas that are situation specific to Kenya. America is just one country, there are how many others in the world? The Nordic country's are quite successful and some even have kings and queens. Let us work together as a country and develop ourselves. You are the same people who come back here (a number of MPs are like you) and treat people like trash when you are elected leaders just because you have mede money doing whatever you do. If you believe you are better than others, that is where the problem starts. We are all equal with equal human rights and we can all make it if we are focussed, whether from the diaspora or from Kenya.

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  46. I'm willing to m-pesa a few hundreds every month from today till election day 2012 so long as the bobs finance genuine pro-Waki politicians.

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  47. anon 12:05

    hope you send the few thousands to your relatives every month before you start feeding political causes. hope ist not chris promoting his own cause.

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  48. Everything in Kenya is wrong! From the government to infrastructure, to judiciary, to the society, right through to the family set-up. Even men don't know how to treat women and parents don't know how to treat their children. Everything apart from the weather sucks!!

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  49. anon 2:20

    Pessimists like you make the world suck. My Kenya is so beautiful i would'nt swap it with anything else. join the ODMers, they are the cry babies who see everything as bad. join the optimists like me and you will live a full life.


    Taabus Mistress

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  50. While some of you are boasting about how well your country has progressed and how you feel no need to have a reality check, I woke up to the news on Euronews channel,

    "Police in Kenya tear gassed displaced women"
    ... and showed a footage of women in deep distress outside parliament building in Nairobi.

    Surely Kenya does not have any problems; they are just perfect as they are! they only need an Obama!

    Btw, why are these women still in IDP camps? Are they not citizens of Kenya? What did they do to deserve a life in the camp?

    Don't you think if everyone under 35 yrs donate 100ksh you can re-house these women? (I know what you're saying!) But it is this mentality that will make you third word citizens. God help Kenya!!

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  51. Papa @ 2.01pm
    Good point and noted.

    Anon 2.08pm
    Point noted. I hear you loud & clear.

    Kimi,
    I agree. A hint on such a message?

    Anon 9.35pm
    Kindly give us some of the basics of what you were doing.

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  52. Am sure we can, but the big question is how and who can play the Obama role now, especially when the country is divided along several lines.

    The response the article is getting from the readers particularly from Sayra, Joe and e-change is pleasing and a good sign that we can change this country .I agree with them the time for change is right now and not tomorrow.

    To start with ,I suggest, let us change our words to action and start with some kind of network or a forum( blog or website) uniting the youth of this country. Where every and each person can contribute his\her ideas and views then it is debated and the best ideas are voted. By doing that we shall get good ideas which are generally accepted by all and also we can vote for (among us) a Good person to play the Obama role. After getting someone to lead us then we form and register an organization then we hit the road.
    That is my two cents

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  53. Make sure the candidate is someone of mixed parentage, or from a minority tribes, like Kamba, Kisii, Masaai but never a Kikuyu, Luo, Luhyia or Kalenjin. These four major tribes are trouble makers.

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  54. I have suggestions for a Kenyan Obama - PLO, John Githongo, Tergat, Maina Kiai, ..... any more suggestions?

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  55. kwale,
    Your the trouble maker......there is no such thing as a tribe of trouble makers.....kalegin were a 'small' tribe thats how M01 started off look where that got us...
    43% of the US voters voted against Obama, many belated suppoters of Obama were his yesterdays critics people like Obama will not emarge from the kind of reasoning I'm seeing on kk.
    I'm willing to bet some of these kk loudmouths have no real influence anywhere......In the same manner RAO overtook Kibz amids chorus of unelectability by the likes of kalooser our nxt Obama just like the current one wil come from the most unlikey place...
    Like an idea whose time has come Obamas are unstoppable and unpredictacable....thats how they succeed you never see them coming....There often people who set out to do good to the next guy the it just builds up,....greedy Obama wannabees tire in the process or get easily bought out by the powers that be.....kenya has a long list of 'former refomers' that are now happily eating Ugali...the likes of koigi, maathai,kibaki....you can finish the list yourself...

    Sir Alex

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  56. Wakoli Bifwoli!

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  57. WARNING!WARNING!DANGER!DANGER!
    In the film Artificial Intelligence(Steven Speilberg)the futuristic story revolves around a robot who wants to become a real boy but unfortunately for it human love can't shower itself on fake

    I fear that in our haste to recapture lost glories of UNITY& CHANGE and in our efforts to roll back the shame brought upon us by bad leadership on both sides of the political divide we are attempting to substitute REAL life for ARTIFICIAL by glossing over where we've come from and where we are in an attempt to shortcut
    charting the course to a successful Kenya

    suggestions to reshape Kenya are many and always welcome BUT behind every such suggestion must be the integrity of admiting WEAKNESSES as well as acknowledging STRENGTHS otherwise the premise for advancing the country is built on a fake foundation of crafty hyenas hungrily circling the carcass ready to leap and eat in pretence of giving mouth-to-mouth resucitation

    In other words charting the course to a better Kenya is not a "SCHEME" meaning the bullet must be bitten and prices must be paid otherwise best laid plans and suggestions are nothing but artificial air slowly escaping from a distractingly colourful ballon

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  58. Sir Alex

    I hear you...Yesterday's reformers have become today's demagogue.

    Correction...Kibaki has never been a reformer!!! I know him as Johnny come late

    For us to succeed we need more than a president like Obama....Change begins with I

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  59. Sayra, a typical message should be directed to the majority poor in the rural areas and in the slums of major cities. That is the first thing you must take into account. Kenya IS NOT AMERICA, it is those poor rural folks in the villages. It is they who will vote but who many of the educated elite despise, so you have to understand and feel them. That massive population then has to be united by a message that transcends tribal loyalty. Look for such a message and i can tell you that nothing the schooled elite do will stop the leaders of this wave or "tsunami" from taking over Kenya.

    Kwale, you are deflating the balloon before it has even risen a few hundred feet, hilarious! That is exactly how we WILL NOT get an Obama if you use tribal identity as a criterion for leadership. In other words, even before the project has started, it is already a flop.

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  60. Im in support of 'pulling an obama'. Who wouldn't be? We need people to stand in the gap, to hit the ground running and start with the formation of at least a mini- secretariat. The main job of the secretarait woll be to coordinate and organize ways and means by which this generation - under 40's, will produce or back a worthy leader.

    We all seem ready for this, so what next? We could organize a atrategy session or a public forum to deliberate on the way forward.

    Or what do you think?

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  61. Quoting Gadhi...

    "Be the change that you want to see in the world"

    I am happy to see people who were calling each other names a few days ago discussing issues.

    Now, an attempt to reach a consensus..

    We need to register two organizations. One in the US/UK where those in the diaspora can donate directly to sing their credit cards, and one in Kenya where local folk can "MPESA" to.

    Issues for discussion:
    1) How do put in place fool proof accountability to ensure the funds are safe?

    2) If and when the tribunal to try folks mentioned in the Waki list is finally set up, can we organize to offer legal aid to the disadvantaged in a "tribally transparent manner", to ensure justice is served?

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  62. Path,
    Thanx for that, its time to act ... talk is soo cheap.

    Anon 4.05am
    I would second PLO and John Githongo. But am thinking that its early for the names. There are other more urgent matters like having a good structure in place.

    E-Change,
    I get your warning.
    Am fully aware of our weakness and strengths. Since Jan this year we have been talking of nothing more than our weaknesses. Those who have been reading KK since Jan this yr will recite to you what our weaknesses are (me been one of them) ... and a few others will tell you our strengths (and i will comfortably do that).
    My point is ... we not getting into this blindly.

    Kimi,
    I hear you loud and clear. That is why we need a good structure on how to go into the masses.

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  63. for example it is ARTIFICIAL LIFE to say "some tribes are trouble makers" the TRANSLATION of that in REAL LIFE is "i am a hardcore tribalist at heart"

    it is also ARTIFICIAL LIFE to say "we want a Kenyan Obama" the TRANSLATION of that in REAL LIFE is "we want a REFORMER today who will be a FORMER REFORMER eating ugali tomorrow"

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  64. UrXlnc for President!! I say.

    Again I repeat YES WE CAN do an Obama in Kenya!

    Personally, I am tired of all those recycled politicians with nothing new to offer. One cannot pretend to be a reformer or a change person when Ntimama and Michuki are the kinds of people you expect to be your vehicles for change. Those people are set in their ways.

    I dare say we get a whole new radical different group of politicians in parliament. I am tired of all those octogenarians.

    And today I am so pissed they have said they will not tax themselves and Michuki is set to drop Kimunya's tax proposal. In the mean time IDP's are still in camps suffering in this floods with pneumonia and hunger na kazi inaendelea.

    Chris, propel this motion in the right direction, Obama has shown us it can be done. We do not need those people's stolen money, we only need people who love Kenya enough and people who desire to change it for the better.

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  65. e-change, thank you my friend. You're my hero. I would vote for you anytime should you choose to stand for presidency! This is all I having been saying all along. Maybe it's my bad English, then again I never expect anyone to agree with me at anytime in this blog. But those two words you have used HASTE and GLOSSING has been on my mind all along. Hastily decisions like you said there will turn euphoria in despair.
    Let those who have ears hear.

    Kimi,
    c'mmon of course I don't mean that! I was looking for a reaction to assess people's mindset. I am probably the least tribal person you will ever likely to meet. And from all my comments, I have always advocated for equality and human rights dignity, which I stand for.

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  66. mama, if UrXlnc is elected as president I have no business in Kenya.

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  67. Oh i forgot, we might just have an Obama president, but what about the greedy MPs we have......Good example Ababu Namwaba who one time was MPs must pay tax....Where is he now? MAybe a starting point i think the Waki report is too huge ...Let us marshal guys to force this con men/women to pay tax or better still we stop paying tax...Then we will be equal. Any legal expert out there is their a way that i may refuse to pay tax...I need help ASAP.

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  68. Charting the course to a better Kenya is not a "GET-RICH QUICK SCHEME"; it took 43 years for us to get into this mess getting out will take more than a micro-second and you cannot legislate the will of the people-we must TRUTHFULLY acknowledge why we are in this mess which means biting the bullet and calling a spade a spade and NOT a big fork

    YES WE CAN but only when we are ready to be painfully honest with ourselves

    Kwale,
    who said your english is bad?english came on a sheep bro; unless that person is BRITISH or AMERICAN let them repent lest i revert to E-COP role

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  69. Mama, in 2002 you said kibaki tosha, 2007 you thought raila will take you to the promise land, and here you are suggesting an idiot like UrXlnc (zero), next you will say Jirongo. Kenya is in a mess becoz you believe in people who are lost themselves.

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  70. KENYANS SET TO PETITION DONORS AGAINST KENYAN

    Dear Kenyans,

    Below is your MPs total salary per month
    Basic salary = Sh. 395,000
    A minimum commuted mileage = Sh. 75,000
    Entertainment allowance = Sh. 60,000
    Extraneous allowance = Sh. 30,000
    House allowance = Sh. 70,000
    Monthly car maintenance allowance = Sh. 247,000.
    Gym membership allowance = Sh. 2,000.
    Vehicle fixed cost allowance = Sh. 336,000
    Committee meeting allowance = Sh. 40,000
    Constituency allowance = Sh. 50,000
    TOTAL TAX FREE = Sh. 1,242, 2000
    = $17,742 per month
    Per year each MP earn = $212,904 per year
    EXTRAS Car loan = Sh 3.3 Million
    House loan = sh 10 million
    COMPARE THIS WITH A US SENATOR SALARY
    USA senator's salary = $165,000/year
    = $13,750 per month

    The salaries these MPs are earning are from donors and will be paid back to a single drop by Kenyan tax payers including your old mother. Kenya is a very poor country compared to United States. Just why these MPs earn more than the USA senators baffles everyone. However, they do so because the they believe that wanainchi will do nothing. The public have not demanded their rights. Please surprise them this time. We have 207 MPs may be more. In five years they will draw about Ksh. 2 billion. This is greed. Only the Kenyan public can stop this.
    Sign the petition and we will make sure it is delivered to the hands of the donors. We will also make attempt to lobby US/UK congress/senate/public to look into the money these two countries give to Kenya. Kenyan economy cannot sustain this. The petition may help stop this if you sign it.

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  71. Kenyans are idiots!!!!!!!!!! How can you pay your mps that amount of money when some of you can't afford to buy food.

    Wajinga sana hawa weusi wa afrika.

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  72. Obama must means different things to different people....to me, this is a Luo who is more luo than some dark skinned luos I know who have no general direction of where their nyalgungas is.... the guy has character and is comfortable with himself. Walked the streets of chicago till his shoes had holes on them, he has always been a servant of the people........
    Those of you here puporting to be a kenya Obama sporters must first submit their CVs for scrutiny it takes one to know one......How can you sport an Obama if you do not have the same public spirit....Some Obama sleuths here are yesterday preached that the only enterprise thinkig people should be doing is running business and making wealth for themselves.... suddenly they are in love with politics....The closest Obama came to running a business was escorting his grandma to the local market in kagelo to sell whatever it is she was selling.......that has not stopped him from being the most celebrated guy in the 21st century....

    Once again whatever you think is the kenya Obama identifier its probaly not....Thats how diferent Obamas are from us mere mortals....just do your part in your little corner of 'Chicago' thats how Obamas are made. Not with a lot of funfare song and dance......and complecated sounding schemes

    Sir Alex

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  73. Daily Nation gutter press rushing to post ati Kibaki has talked with Obama!!! (for Obama Kibaki is like a tick that should be removed) it is just curtesy after he already talked to Raila......

    Kibaki wants a to feel that he now knows Obama... same kibaki abused Obama when he visited Kenya as a Senator??? has he forgotten what he did??


    Ha!!ha!! Hilarious, now kibaki is busy even announcing in the news his conversation with Obama!! ha!!ha!! Ogwambo (Raila) already chatted with Obama the night he won... you see they are cousins:):)

    Kibaki the same guy that invited the goon to travel to Kenya to look for dirt on Obama and Raila connection and the Muslim agenda.. which Kibaki falsely accused Raila with during the 27th December elections!!

    KIBAKI = HAGUE
    even if he tries to lick Obama's boots.... kibaki is a sick human being...

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  74. Chris,

    I thought you barred anon 7.27.we were having a good discussion until this sicko re-emerged again.
    you can agree this blog has been better without this sad human being.
    do something before this blog descend back to gutter again.

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  75. A quick reading of the entries in this blog today in response to the question "Can we do an Obama in Kenya?" demonstrates that the answer is a resounding YES. And the elements of a fruitful strategy have been laid out as follows:
    1. A crisp message that resonates across the board.
    2. A committee of whatever compostion but largely of like-minded, committed individuals responsible for collating and putting together an overall strategy (including clear goals) and a suite of options/scenarios on pathways for doing the Obama thing and governing the process. The committee will also be mandated with building alliances with individuals and groups that are supportive of the objectives.
    3. A readily-accessible platform and mechanism for aggregating opinions and preferences from a broad range of participants, especially Kenyan youths in the country and outside.
    4. A transparent, affordable and sustainable way for raising and managing funds.
    5. A list of attributes and criteria for would-be Obamas (both in-country and diasporeans) and transparent processes for their selection/election for the highest office in the land as for lower positions and who together will form a formidable team of Obamas to usher in the change that is sought.
    I am inclined to agree with someone here who mentioned the need to immediately establish some kind of stand-alone forum solely dedicated to this enterprise and which will serve in the initial as a consultative platform where each of the tasks (like crafting a message) and questions can be systematically deliberated.
    Finally, it seems to me that to be sure of success, it may help not to be in too great a rush i.e. not to limit to a target of 2012 but to be fairly open about that.

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  76. anonymous 11/12/08 8:24 AM you are the individual Chris has to ban from this blog... here are your other posting from your same IP address
    2:39 AM and 6:09 AM

    What gives you the right to call people idiots and stupid?? and you keep abusing ODM thinking you are under anonymous cover?? but you can't hide your IP address from Hackers like us:):)

    do shut up and contribute proper discussions here than crying wolf when you are the same wolf in sheep skin.. shame on you!!

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  77. For you anonymous 8:24 AM I will add Obama ain't a fool he can see the wolfs in sheep skin in Kenya pretending that now they are his friends when before all the blogs from one province of Kenya had hate towards him....

    do not take Kenyan people as fools... even the 2012 Kenya elections be it be the young generation or new Kenyans politicians! none will not forget who was in power when the slaughter of innocent kenyans by the state machinery namely police and army took place and by whose orders....or those who paid thugs to slaughter innocent kenyans...

    yes we can discuss on here all we want or hope to happen but by brushing aside or sweeping under the carpet what brought Kenya to the stage where it is today and the obstacles that are in the way namely
    1. Tribalism
    2. greed
    3. corruption
    4. power hungry
    5. unfair distribution of wealth illegally
    7. unfair distribution of land illegally
    8. unfair employment practices(tribal)
    and the list goes on... even the best intentions will fail unless all and most of this issues are addressed head on....

    Waki Report might not have done it's work fully,,, but the facts are the independent NGO's and other parties made their own reports, took pictures and interviews those who saw their family members killed especially in Nakuru and Naivasha, Eldoret,Kisumu, Turbo, mile saaba, e,t,c
    and people like Kibaki, Uhuru, Michuki and other MP's from Rift valley know they can run now but have nowhere to hide.. they have to face Hague.. and that is what most Kenyans trust in not a kenyans court or tribunal controlled by the same people in government or the same people will appoint people that they can bribe to sink the tribunal...

    Hague is the answer and anyone who was involved must carry their own cross period...

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  78. why not ,as i said by doing a kenyan obama http://whostalkingnow.blogspot.com/

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